1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to covers and storage containers, and more particularly, to a cover defining selectively collapsible storage bins.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
A variety of covers have long been developed to serve as barriers or protect against undesirable conditions, such as, rain, snow, or direct exposure to solar radiation. In an automotive setting, for example, cargo shades and bed covers are often used to protect items stored in the bed of a pickup truck or the cargo/storage area of a vehicle. These covers are typically deployed manually or automatically, by placing upon and fastening the cover (and frame) to the bed rails, tilting/swinging a hinged cover relative to the space, or unwinding/rolling a soft cover from a retraction mechanism. The covers are then stowed by unfastening and removing the cover, reversibly tilting/swinging the cover, or retracting the cover with the mechanism.
Besides the formation of a protective barrier, however, conventional covers typically provide no further benefit to the user. For example, covers, such as the afore-mentioned cargo shades and bed covers, offer items (e.g., groceries, supplies, tools, etc.) stored in a truck bed or the cargo/storage area of an enclosed vehicle no further security. These items are often left free to jostle, are subject to agitation and reorientation, and as a result, may become damaged during a vehicle trip, even when a conventional shade is deployed. Moreover, for certain items such as grocery bags and purses, the unwanted spillage of things carried thereby is a common nuisance experienced by drivers.
Cargo nets, tie downs, bed dividers and other similar devices have been recently developed to secure items hauled in truck beds and cargo areas; but these measures fail to provide the protective barrier of a cover.